Post by Jenny at Sagehill on Feb 13, 2012 15:25:21 GMT -5

I've made this recipe many times over the years--it's good every time and relatively fast. I was out of the culture they recommended, so I used 1/4 cup of grocery store buttermilk instead; and I'm low on lipase, so I skipped it. Cheesemaking is fairly forgiving, actually.

Here's the first half of my cheese press: A large plastic strainer over a five-gallon pot and a cheap ricotta basket mold, with a holder robbed from the rotisserie oven to act as a follower to press the curds down. A small plate would have been better, but I didn't have one the right size to fit my mold. Oh well, cheesemaking is fairly forgiving.

Here's the final setup with weights: An empty 12-lb pickle crock and a flat 10-lb weight-lifting thingy under the 8-lb jug of water. Yep, only 30 lbs, not 35, but it'll be okay... cheesemaking is pretty forgiving.

The cheese comes out of the press at 8pm, air dries overnight, then goes into a fridge container to age for a couple of days before its short life ends.

Post by renee7008 on Feb 14, 2012 18:50:53 GMT -5

VERY NICE.. I LOVE THE WAY YOU SHOW AND PROVE THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE HIGH DOLLAR CHEESE MAKING EQUIPMENT AND ALL ABOUT GLITZ AND GLAM....JUST SIMPLE AND IF IT WORKS...THAT'LL DO JUST FINE WITH ME TOO !!!. THANK YOU MY FRIEND !!! Happy Cheese making !...looks yummy !....i'm thinking crackers and apples.... i'll keep this one for the records if i may... Renee KingAva,mo

Post by Jenny at Sagehill on Feb 14, 2012 19:56:58 GMT -5

Beginning cheesemaking is intimidating, especially when looking at all the equipment and the many different cultures and molds--most of it frighteningly expensive. It's easy to think, "Sheesh, I could buy a lifetime of imported gourmet cheese for the price of all that!"

True, to get consistently repeatable results--for example if your customers expect the exact same cheese every time you sell it--you may want some or all those things. But to make cheese for your family, you don't need much.

Unfortunately, I disassembled it several months ago, needing the boards to raise my computer monitor higher, so I had to scramble to create this makeshift press. I really ought to reassemble my press... a real press does make things easier!

By the way, I forgot to mention the damp washcloths in the above pictures help keep various plastic-on-plastic surfaces from slipping around and causing mold and weights to tilt and crash.

They all have new homes... sweet Hathor, Damona, Hesat and Io. Wish I could have at least kept Io....

Post by dextermooz on Feb 19, 2012 19:54:12 GMT -5

Thanks for posting this. I keep going round and round looking at recipes, all the equipment I need, starters and everything else cheesemaking related to the point that I just get confused and give up again because it seems so complicated. LOL I just want to be able to make a simple, easy mild but flavourful cheese suitable for sandwhiches and grilling. Tiem to just buy some rennet, meso culture and wax and start making I think!

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